Screen Directors' Playhouse

Top name film stars from Fred Astaire and Joan Crawford to Gary Cooper and John Wayne made special appearances in this all-star tour de force of radio dramas produced from 1949-1951. Update: sound quality improvements including digital remastering

119 old time radio show recordings
(total playtime 82 hours, 0 min)
available in the following formats:

There was an unconfirmed story going around Long Island when Screen Director's Playhouse was on the air; a young boy rushes into the living room, exclaiming "Mother, the neighbors have the funniest new television, no pictures, you just see the voices on the movie!"

In the late 1940s many in radio tried to Hollywood to America's living room. The glamorous variety shows didn't achieve the effect they were after, what was needed was a more personal and up close view of the movies. Screen Director's Playhouse (originally Screen Director's Guild Assignment) presented the stories from popular films, with commentary from the director and the original stars in the lead roles. The adaptation from the screen to a half hour radio shows (a full hour after Nov 9, 1950) could never equal the experience of the movie house (or even a DVD for today's audience.) But that is before you consider the commentary from the directors and their lead actors. According to creator Don Sharpe, "writing is the most important single factor in a radio package," and that was perfectly demonstrated in the show.

Some of the films that were adapted for the series are "Stagecoach," "The Best Years of Our Lives," "Mr. Blandings Builds His Dream House," "Music for Millions," "A Foreign Affair," "The Magnificent Obsession," "The Human Comedy," and "It's a Wonderful Life."

Screen Director's Playhouse shouldn't be confused with the earlier program, Screen Guild Theater which was a variety revue. The earlier program was a charity with the actors donating their wages to the Motion Picture Country House.